Soaring dried fruit prices drastically plummet buyers footfall

Soaring dry fruit prices drastically plummet buyers footfall

QUETTA, (APP) - Like many other daily use items, the dry fruit has also gone beyond the reach of common buyers for its soaring prices due to prevailing economic recession and inflation with buyers’ footfall plummeting drastically.

The gorgeous recipes of winter that once used to be an essential component of most of dining tables have now become a distant dream even for the middle class, already struggling to meet its ends in an era of exemplary dearness.

Economic recession, rising inflation, dwindling source of income and the soaring cost of living coupled with lessening purchasing power had brought down the buyers’ footfall to 50 percent as compared to the previous year.

Thanks to four years government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf whose economic policies not only landed the country in real trouble but also deprived common users of essential commodities.

Today, like other parts of the country, the dry fruit markets in the heart of Balochistan’s provincial capital Quetta have worn a deserted look.

Once packed with customers from across the country, the dry fruit traders are seen sitting idle waiting for buyers as skyrocketing prices had equally impacted the lower, middle and high classes.

“Dried fruit prices have registered a massive increase. I feel the result of faulty economic policies of the previous regime has started surfacing,” said Ezatullah, a local dry fruit shopkeeper in Quetta. “The peak buying season has started but dry fruit markets in Quetta present a gloomy picture.”

Recalling the recent past, he said, just a few years back we had ample buyers during the season. “I am not talking of long ago – it was near when we the shopkeepers could not even spare time to sit in the chair, when the season used to be on peak. But, today shopkeepers are felt like spending leisure time as there are very few buyers.”

The market trends show 50 to 100 percent increase in prices with prices of Iranian pistachio surging to Rs 2400 to 3000 per kg from Rs1800, almond to Rs 1800 from Rs1000, Indian cashew nuts to Rs 2800 from Rs 2000 and fig prices soaring to Rs 2600 from Rs 1400 per kilogram. Prices of other items like dry grapes, Iranian chickpeas, American walnut also rose to 50 to 100 percent in recent years.

Shams Khan, a wholesale dealer of dry fruit regretted the worrisome state of the affair as the business had shrunk massively during the current season. “We used to trade tons of dry fruit during the season. But, this time after seeing the market situation, we are confused to buy stocks.”

“Almost a month has passed since the winter set in but we have not sold even the previous stock,” he said commenting on the uncertain market situation.

As part of Balochistan’s unique tradition, dry fruits always remained a compulsory item on the sheets and dining tables usually set for the visiting guests. With its exorbitant prices, now dry fruit is no more an essential dining table item even for those earning handsome money.

“I have cut short the quantity of dry fruit as rising prices had left me with no other option,” said Abdul Rehman, Deputy Director at a Federal Department.

Despite that Abdul Rehman receives a sizable salary, he finds himself unable to bear the cost of dry fruits as he used to do in the past. “ I have not only cut short the dry fruit items I used to purchase but the skyrocketing prices of pistachio and cashew nuts have compelled me to drop them from the list wholly.”

The prevailing situation has not only impacted the small businessmen but also wholesalers and big businesses.

President Pak-Iran Chamber and All Pakistan Dry Fruit Association Haji Hamdullah also looked unhappy with the prevailing situation.

Economic downturn and declining purchasing power of consumers had put us too in real trouble. The entire business community in Balochistan is upset about price hike and less purchasing.”

Haji Hamdullah has urged the government to review regulatory duty on dry fruit import to steer traders out of this slumber. “Reviewing the regulatory duty and strengthening rupee value against the US dollar will help lower the commodities prices.”

The situation is also not different in other parts of the country with even the middle class now unable to purchase dry fruit for their families.

And when some essential items are missing from your menu, it means people head towards food deficiency and lack of nutrients in their bodies.

If we see this situation otherwise, the economic recession is a gift of the previous government who ruined all sectors including trade and commerce.

The cosmetic measures propagated during their tenure proved to be sheer bubbles whose bursting not only dragged the country to the verge of default but also made the lives of people miserable.

The present government, despite facing multiple and serious challenges on the economic front, is struggling hard to free people from the clutches of inflation and price hike as well as generating more foreign exchange to put the country on strong economic footing.